13 women rescued, 16 foreigners arrested in Makati 'prostitution den'
Published Jan 10, 2020 12:00 am
By Jel Santos
Thirteen Filipino women were rescued by Makati Police during a raid at a KTV bar of a hotel which is allegedly being used as a prostitution den in Makati City early Friday morning.
Thirteen Filipino women were rescued by Makati Police during a raid at a KTV bar of a hotel which is allegedly being used as a prostitution den in Makati City early Friday morning. (Makati Police / MANILA BULLETIN)
Police also arrested the two Taiwanese operators of the bar, and 14 Chinese men who are POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) workers.
Major Gideon Ines Jr., Makati Police Investigation Unit chief, said the penthouse of a 29-storey hotel in Barangay Poblacion was being rented by the operators identified as Shih Fang Chen, 65, and Po Yi Chen, 55.
Based on a police report, members of the Makati Police raided the penthouse of the hotel located along Burgos St. in Barangay Poblacion around 3:40 a.m.
Ines said the rescued women admitted that they were being trafficked at the KTV bar to foreigners, mostly to Chinese men.
“The Chinese men transact with the operators of the bar through the We Chat app. They were being told to check-in at the hotel in order for them to have access to the KTV bar located at the penthouse,” Ines told the Manila Bulletin.
“Actually, we were even told seize the tablet of the KTV bar. All their transactions were recorded there in the We Chat app,” the chief investigator added.
The KTV bar operators were just renting at the hotel, Ines said. “They were paying P400, 000 a month to the owner of the hotel.”
According to Ines, the owner of the hotel vehemently denied that he has involvement in the alleged prostitution den.
The Makati Police Investigation Unit chief revealed that they also retrieved condoms from some of the women.
“We found condoms inside the bags of some women. They really admitted that they are into the sex trade,” Ines said.
Weeks before the raid, Ines said a 22-year-old woman from the province went to the KTV bar and applied. “However, when she learned that there was sex trade there, she immediately left and reported it to us,” he said.
The nabbed Chinese men, who are POGO workers, are still being held at the police headquarters, he said.
“We believe that the arrested POGO workers are customers of the alleged drug den,” said Ines.
The Makati Police said the suspects will face charges for violating RA 10364, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Person Act of 2012, while the rescued women were turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Department.
Thirteen Filipino women were rescued by Makati Police during a raid at a KTV bar of a hotel which is allegedly being used as a prostitution den in Makati City early Friday morning. (Makati Police / MANILA BULLETIN)
Police also arrested the two Taiwanese operators of the bar, and 14 Chinese men who are POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator) workers.
Major Gideon Ines Jr., Makati Police Investigation Unit chief, said the penthouse of a 29-storey hotel in Barangay Poblacion was being rented by the operators identified as Shih Fang Chen, 65, and Po Yi Chen, 55.
Based on a police report, members of the Makati Police raided the penthouse of the hotel located along Burgos St. in Barangay Poblacion around 3:40 a.m.
Ines said the rescued women admitted that they were being trafficked at the KTV bar to foreigners, mostly to Chinese men.
“The Chinese men transact with the operators of the bar through the We Chat app. They were being told to check-in at the hotel in order for them to have access to the KTV bar located at the penthouse,” Ines told the Manila Bulletin.
“Actually, we were even told seize the tablet of the KTV bar. All their transactions were recorded there in the We Chat app,” the chief investigator added.
The KTV bar operators were just renting at the hotel, Ines said. “They were paying P400, 000 a month to the owner of the hotel.”
According to Ines, the owner of the hotel vehemently denied that he has involvement in the alleged prostitution den.
The Makati Police Investigation Unit chief revealed that they also retrieved condoms from some of the women.
“We found condoms inside the bags of some women. They really admitted that they are into the sex trade,” Ines said.
Weeks before the raid, Ines said a 22-year-old woman from the province went to the KTV bar and applied. “However, when she learned that there was sex trade there, she immediately left and reported it to us,” he said.
The nabbed Chinese men, who are POGO workers, are still being held at the police headquarters, he said.
“We believe that the arrested POGO workers are customers of the alleged drug den,” said Ines.
The Makati Police said the suspects will face charges for violating RA 10364, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Person Act of 2012, while the rescued women were turned over to the City Social Welfare and Development Department.